NCP president and Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar reiterated Friday that he was not in the race for prime ministership.

Pawar was talking to reporters after filing his nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha polls scheduled for February 7.
Asked about Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde’s comments on his prime ministerial candidature, he said, “Let people say what they want to. I am not available.”

“I accept age is catching up on me. I was eager to leave active politics, but have chosen to join the Upper House on the insistence of my colleagues,” the NCP chief said.

Ducking a question on whether he will work under Rahul Gandhi as the prime minister, he said the Congress has never projected anybody as prime minister before elections and hence it was too early to answer the question.

Pawar also criticised Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for his dharna. “The CM has a number of responsibilities and is the most important person in the state after the Governor. A difference of opinion is understandable and like every citizen, the CM also has the right to expression. But it is not correct to obstruct the government’s normal functioning,” he said.